Day 8 - Sand dunes to Hoi An

Leaving Quy Nhon we cycled an initial 16 miles through the new economic zone.


We will cycled until we arrived at Phu Ly.  

 

The coast line features secluded bays, sand dunes and beaches with fishing boats bobbing on the South China Sea. 

The ride took us over the Thi Nai Peninsula and Nhon Hoi Bridge, the longest sea bridge in Vietnam. 

Despite Vietnam being a one party communist state, its relationship to Buddhism was good, possibly because the ecclesiastic hierarchy provided support for the North during the conflict. 

Yet more paddy!

We visited a market. This part of the country does not see many western tourists and we were a novelty.

Children were at school, bicycles mimicking the scooter parking.

Can you make out the pencil sign made especially for the photographer.

Fortunately, pencils don't have knuckles, creating a Schrödinger's cat ambiguity - "Peace man" vs "***k **f"

Both children and adults were friendly, also somewhat bemused.

Tamarind. Sweet and tasty. The taste behind HP sauce I believe!

Ripe dragon fruit. It looks better than it tastes - though not bad. A bit like a softer, sweeter guava.

I have been hugely impressed by the Vietnamese. Fabulously hard working, joyful and a strong sense of 'continuity of purpose'. Although mostly patriarchal (a few ethnic groups are matrilineal though, like the Tibetans), the women seemed super strong and independent.

They formed amazing resistance militias against the French, Japanese and the South/Americans until 1973.

Bitter gourd - attractive looking but very bitter!

Really good fresh produce.

The Vietnamese buy fresh everyday and prepare each meal after a quick scooter ride shop into covered markets.

No pavement, one way street or covered market is free from omnipresent scooter!

The larger chillies are less strong.

Bought some fine carrots.

Vietnamese cooking uses loads of greens - Morning Glory, Sweet Potato Greens, Malabar Spinach, Mustard Greens, Bok Choy, Kale, Napa Cabbage, Beansprouts, Prostrate Knotweed...  etc.

Then second part of the day included a lovely 15 mile bike ride through narrow streets to the coast and then Hoi An.

These non-streamlined coracles were remarkably swift, despite the weird hydrodynamics for such a sea shape. He was skulling, pulling himself forwards.

The River Green, a nice boutique hotel in Hoi An. 

Day 7

Day 9